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Home , Dysfunctional family

The Psychological State of Lydia as A of Dysfunctional in Celeste NG’s “Everything I Never Told You”

Arinda Kairunnisa [email protected] Universitas Sains Al-Qur’an, Wonosobo, Indonesia

Latifah Dwi Ariyani [email protected] Universitas Sains Al-Qur’an, Wonosobo, Indonesia

Abstract This study purposed in revealing : (1) the reflection of dysfunctional family in Celeste Ng’s “Everything I Never Told You” and (2) the psychological state of Lydia as the child of dysfunctional family in Celeste Ng’s “Everything I Never Told You”. Descriptive qualitative method is used to analyze the novel entitled “Everything I Never Told You” written by Celeste Ng as the object of research. The method of collecting data in this research includes reading, identifying, classifying, and selecting. The method of analysing the data are done by displaying, explaining, and interpreting. Dysfunctional family concept and Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis are used in analyzing the data. The finding shows that : (1) there are some reflections indicate the dysfunctional family in Celeste Ng’s “Everything I Never Told You”, such as, the cause of dysfunctional family shown by authoritarian , the characteristics of dysfunctional family shown by prolonged conflict and perfectionist expectation toward children, and the type of dysfunctional family in form of chronic conflict family; (2) the psychological state of Lydia as the child of dysfunctional family is illustrated by isolated and empty feeling, dependent due to of being abandoned, super responsibility by adopting the enabler type, feel guilty when looking for satisfaction for herself, and the ego defense mechanism in the form of regression. The psychological state of Lydia is described through the apparatus in her unconscious mind, there are, the id, the superego, and the ego.

Keywords: Psychological state, Dysfunctional family, Psychoanalysis.

Introduction Family is the smallest and basic unit of social relation in society. When human are born, generally the first contact they make is with family. They provides loves, attachments, supports, cares, , protections, and shelter. Family is the ultimate influence on how someone sees and values the world. Moreover, family

68 | METAPHOR : V O L . 3 , N O . 1 – SEPTEMBER 2020 effects on how the character of someone is shaped. As Muckenhoupt (1997:83) stated about basic principles of human nature that Freud believed that behaviour in adulthood is rooted in childhood experience. Through this statement, it can be viewed that, since childhood occurs within the scope of family generally, family takes a big part in defining someone’s character and personality. According to Harkness and Super (1996), parenting in a family is crucial skill for development of children. Dysfunctional family is a psychological term that according to Benton (1997), describes the conditions that interfere with the normal functioning of a family. Either normal family or dysfunctional family must have experienced crisis and problem. However, the distinguishing thing between them is how to response the problem. If the normal family returns to function after the crisis, in other hand, the dysfunctional family can not cope with the problem and make the problem more wider instead. In line with dysfunctional family concept, Al-Ubaidi (2017) stated that it has some impacts on family members, especially on the children. The impacts threaten their lives either when they were children or when they become fully an adult. Dysfunctional family affects either on children’s physical or emotional/psychological. Generally, the children feel inadequate and low self- confidence in their life.

Literary Review Psychology of Literature Literary work is very influenced by its author/writer and the environment in which it is produced. The author/writer expresses his thought, feeling, and experience through his work. This process involves the psychological condition of the author. To get deeper meaning and interpreting of the work, it is necessary to use an approach process called psychology of literature. Wellek and Warren (1949) stated that psychology of literature covers three aspects, there are, psychology of author, psychology of character, and psychology of audience. In psychology of author, the author/writer as human being has

69 | METAPHOR : V O L . 3 , N O . 1 – SEPTEMBER 2020 psychological condition that influence on his character, how he reacts, various chooses he made, and his literature work. It also include the process of making literary work itself. While psychology of character can be applied when in a literary work is found psychological elements and principles. Psychology of reader deals with the influence of literary work on the reader/audience.

Dysfunctional Family

Dysfunctional family refers to the conditions that interfere with the normal functioning of a family (Benton 1997). Family, just as any other system, consists of structure and function. In a normal healthy family, when conflict occurs, all its members can cope and face them through some ways, such as, they can express their feeling and , ask each other’s condition, give attention and help, and keep up the communication. Each members are treated accordingly. There are role and flexibility depend on particular need and situation. The children are given the freedom to carry out their responsibilities accroding to their age. While parents are responsible for the care of children, physycally and emotionally. So when the disruption is over, all the functions of family can work as before. On the contrary, when a disruption occurs in dysfunctional family, no one talks about it. As the result, the problem remains and extends to a variety of completely different problems. The malfunction of family occurs when the role of a family can not be achieved. The Cause of Dysfunctional Family Based on Al-Ubaidi (2017) the following are the factors that cause dysfunctional in a family : 1. Abusive and or Adicted The abusive parent can be either : (1) physical like hitting, beating, nipping, slapping,etc, (2) non-physical abuse through verbal and emotional, and/or (3) . 2. The Strict Controlling and or Authoritarian Parent As the parent, some people may think that they have full control and power upon children’s life. This idea makes them think that the children are unable to

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make any decision and choice. As the result, the childreen feel inadequate and low self-evidence in their life. 3. The Soft Parent The soft parent inclines to make loose parent, obey all the children’s desire, and does not give any sanction when the children make mistake. 4. The Large and Extended In as much as the large number of family members, the parent can not give proper attention and need tho the children. 5. in Family Members The abnormal psychological condition of one of family members will affect normal family dinamics. 6. A Chronically Sick or Disabled Child in the Family The attention, care, and responsibility of parent will automatically focus only to the sick member, so that the need of other members will be ignored. 7. Unfortunate Life Events Unfortunate life events such as , affair issue, losing job, unstable financial, death of member, single parent, and so on. 8. Family Values, Culture, and Ethnicity The differences between values, culture, and ethnicity of a family and the society has usually give the negative impact on , gender roles, and the power of individuals as family members.

The Characteristics of Dysfunctional Family According to Al Ubaidi (2017), there are some characteristics or signs that commonly a dysfunctional family shows:

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1. Inadequacy of privacy/boundarie, emphaty, and respect among each member of family. 2. Taking personal possesions and privacies without permission of the owner. 3. Prolonged conflict and fighting, whether verbal or physical, that happens between parent and child, or and sibling. 4. Role reversal or role shift betwen parent and child (early paternalism). 5. Family isolation due to restricted relation outside the house (friendship, neighborhood, co-worker). 6. Extreme andsecrecy rules 7. Perfectionism and unrealistic expectation of parent toward the child beyond his/her age, skill, and ability. 8. Limitation of expressing oponions and feelings. 9. as a tool to control others or retaliation. 10. Giving atachment, affection, and love according to particular condition (conditional). The Types of Dysfunctional Family

Al-Ubaidi (2017) stated, that the types of dysfunctional family are : 1. Chronic Conflict Family In this type of dysfunctional family, the conflict is rooted from the unsolved problem that happens in the past. This problem triggers other problems and extends into a prolonged conflict. Usually, this type of family is sourced by abusive parent or authoritarian parent. The parent uses fear as the tool to control and to drive the children to be what they want. 2. Pathological The pathological household is usually caused by illness such as cancer or personality disorder such as bipolar disorder or such as schizophrenia. 3. The Chaotic Household The chaotic household happens when it comes to non-present parent or parental adequacy. The older replace the parent figure. Meanwhile, the younger siblings confuses about the authority figure.

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4. The Dominant Submissive Household This family type coomes with dictator parent , while the other one is passive parent. It is caused the inner-conflict of all members because they do not have the chance to express their feelings, , opinions. 5. Emotionally Distant Families The parents rarely show love and affection to the children. As the result, the children find difficulty to express it because they learn from parents. The Psychology of Children in Dysfunctional Family

Al-Ubaidi (2017) explained about severals points to identify the signs and symptoms of dysfunctional family : a. As a way to remove the pain, family members try to control and being disrespectful that triggers low-respect and low self-esteem. b. Isolated and empty feeling. c. Feel intimidated, , and sensitive about the conflict situation because the emotions accumulation. d. Tend to vent dysfunctional family issues by adopt it to another destructive love and friendship relationships. e. Behave either super-responsibility or super-irresponsibility. f. Feel guilty when they take care for themselves. g. Find difficulties in expressing their emotions and feelings. h. Due to the fear of being abandoned and rejected, they feel dependent. They keep stay in unhealthy relationship and prevent opportunity of another healthy relationship. i. Feel hopeless and helpless due to prolonged and isolation. j. Have trust-issue k. Unable to control situation when it comes to a mess.

Freud’s Psychoanalysis

According to Muckenhoupt (1997:10), psychoanalysis is a developed therapy relates to unconscious physic life that used to treat mental illness. By then, psychoanalysis is either therapy or theory. As the basic of psychoanalysis, Muckenhoupt (1997:83) said, Freud beliefs that every action has a cause. It means

73 | METAPHOR : V O L . 3 , N O . 1 – SEPTEMBER 2020 that personality develops because of the conflicts of the psychological aspects occur which generally happen in children period. Instinct

1. Life Instinct According to Muckenhoupt (1997:123), life instinct deals with the basic survival, pleasure, sexual procreation, affection, and positive emotions. Freud (1920) stated that life instinct also considered as sexual instinct. Life instinct is sourced from energy called libido. 2. Death Instinct According to Freud (1948), people who has traumatic event in their life intend to bring back that event. This destructive action is part of death instinct. As Freud (1948) stated, “ The goal of all life is death”. The death instinct can be ended in the form of self-harm or . Model of Human Mind 1. Unconscious Mind Muckenhoupt (1997:86) insisted, the unconscious state is the very bottom as weel as the deepest state of the human mind. It is dominated by human thoughts, dreams, neurotic symptoms and even mistakes. In addition, in unconscious mind also contains with repressed desires and memories. 2. Preconscious Mind Muckenhoupt (1997:116) stated, the task of preconscious mind is to filter the psychical elements that can be brought into conscious mind. Preconscious mind roles as the bridge between unconscious mind and conscious mind. 3. Conscious Mind According to Freud (1960:4), The physical elements that relate with protracted length of time do not exist in conscious mind. Freud (1960:11) called conscious mind as the surface of mental apparatus. It connects with the external world. The Structural Theory of Personality 1. Id (Das Es) According to Freud (1940), id origin and the oldest instinct of human that express its desires, individual organism’s purposes, and genuine needs. Based on Muckenhoupt (1997:123) the id is a genuine desires and instincts of human. In

74 | METAPHOR : V O L . 3 , N O . 1 – SEPTEMBER 2020 expressing its desires, the id does not consider the moral that values what is right or what is wrong. Freud (1940) stated that id operates according to pleasure principal. It tends to obtain pleasure and to avoid the pain. 2. The Ego (Das Ich) Freud (1940:28) the ego plays as self-preservation by feels the stimulation outside the body and controls the demand of instinct, to see the way to reach the satisfaction, to delay the satisfaction until a certain amount of time through suppressing the excitations. 3. The Superego (Das Ueber Ich) Freud (1940:28) described superego is a part of developed ego caused by the prolonged influence of parent over the child. The child identifies behaviour, rule, and moral that are carried out by the parent and copies them to shape their own behaviour and personality. The superego supervises the materials in unconscious mind by judging and punishing.

Ego Defense Mechanism Because each of three physic institutions (id,ego,superego) sometimes has completely different purpose, so the friction of each goals can not be avoided. As the solution, the ego makes a defense to protect the individual. This defense called as the ego defense mechanism. Anna (1966) develops the type of ego defense mechanism into 10 types. It can be shown as following : 1. Repression McLeod (2019) stated, in repression, the ego represses the threatening thoughts, desires, or ideas that caused guilty feeling of superego. Those thought are repressed into unconsciousness part of the mind. 2. Projection McLeod (2019) mentioned, projection happens when an individual displaces or projects unpleasant or unwanted feelings and thoughts of something from external world to the object itself. 3. Reaction Formation According to McLeod (2019) reaction formation is the arising of thoughts, ideas, or feelings that are contrary to actual thoughts, ideas, or feelings in

75 | METAPHOR : V O L . 3 , N O . 1 – SEPTEMBER 2020 unconsciousness. Someone who makes reaction formation behaves the opposite ways from what she or he actually feels. 4. Regression According to McLeod (2019), regression functions as the decrement of tension when someone feels frightened or in trouble. The deterioration of development to the previous or earlier stage (where individuals feel save) due to conflict or danger that emerges in next stage. 5. Sublimation According to McLeod (2019),sublimation is a redirection of instinctual drives into constructive and socially acceptable activities. 6. Denial McLeod (2019) said, denial is a defense mechanism deals with the denial of reality by bloking the phenomenons from external world. It can appear in form of rejection or even denial. 7. Rationalization According to McLeod (2019), rationalization involved the reduction in threat level of an event or impulse. It deals with the excusses of someone about something that happens in their life that make it to become more logical.

Research Method According to Kothari (2004: 1), research is an academic activity or method to search particular topic accurately. The characteristic of research is scientific and sistematic. Research method that is used in this research is descriptive qualitative method. Based on Denzim and Lincoln (2005: 3) qualitative research refers to a research that study on a phenomena in their natural setting to get the interpreted meaning of it. Qualitative research makes the phenomena with all its things become visible to people. The process of qualitative research including fieldnotes, interviews, conversations, photographs, recordings, and self-memos. According to Kumar (2008), descriptive research is a research that presents a description to identify a phenomena or a fact. The process of this

76 | METAPHOR : V O L . 3 , N O . 1 – SEPTEMBER 2020 research including surveys and studies. In descriptive research, control variable is not involved. The object of the research is a novel entitled Everything I Never Told You written by Celeste Ng. The novel is published by The Penguin Press , 375 Hudson Street New York, New York. The novel consists of 12 chapters which is divided into 184 pages, The method of collecting data in this research is library research. This research includes of reading, identifying, classifying, and selecting. Method of analyzing data are done by displaying, explaining, and interpreting.

Finding and Discussion This research analyzes the reflection of dysfunctional family and answer psychological state of Lydia as the member of dysfunctional family. 1. The Reflection of Dysfunctional Family in Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You. The Cause of Dysfunctional Family In object of research, the major factor that makes Lee’s family can be defined as dysfunctional family is because there is found the authoritarian parent issue. It describes that Lydia always obeyed what her , Marlyn, asked to her, regardless that was not what Lydia wanted. In authoritarian parent, the parent uses fear to control the children whether directly or indirectly. This fear has been done by the parent with or without parents realizing it. It can be seen in the some quotations below. “That most important word: tomorrow. Every day Lydia cherished it. Tomorrow I’ll take you to the museum to look at the dinosaur bones. Tomorrow we’ll learn about trees. Tomorrow we’ll study the moon. Every night a mall promise extracted from her mother: that she would be there in the morning...... And in return, Lydia kept her own promise: she did everything her mother asked.” (Ng, 2014:88) This quotation presented how Lydia tied up in a word “tomorrow”. The most important thing for Lydia was the existence of Marlyn tomorrow. It was a granted that there would be tomorrow, that Marlyn would be there tomorrow. As return, Lydia was completely willing to do everything Marlyn asked.

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To make Marlyn stays at home, she tries hard to obey what Marlyn tells to her and become the that Marlyn wants. She puts aside all her desires in order to make his mother happy eventhough it is not in accordance with her wishes. This perception is a seed that futhermore bring up the characteristic of authoritarian family. “Each afternoon, she rushed home, desperate to see her mother’s face, to make her mother smile. By the second grade, the other stopped asking. She told herself she didn’t care: her mother was still there. That was all that mattered.” (Ng, 2014:97)

It happened when Lydia’s classmate, Stacey Sherwin, asked her to come overt to her house. Lydia refused her invitation. This excessive fear makes Lydia disregards her true desire for the purpose to keep stick with her promise. It causes the inability of expressing the emotion.

The Characteristic and The Type of Dysfunctional Family In Celeste Ng’s “Everything I Never Told You”, there are some aspects that indicate the characteristics of dysfunctional family. It is started from prolonged conflict and fighting that happens between parents. “Because long ago, her mother had gone missing, and her had brought her home. Because more than anything, her mother had wanted to stand out; because more than anything, her father had wanted to blend in. Because those things had been impossible.” (Ng, 2014:15)

The quotation above was written from Lydia’s point of view. She realized that in the beginning, the problem was already exist in Lee family. Her parents had their own unsolved problems. Marlyn who wants to pursue her dream as a doctor, has to give up because she is already a housewife. While James who has to face the discrimination and try to blend in the society since he is a Chinese-American. Nevertheless, Marlyn and James do not discuss about it and behave like everything is fine. As the result, the problems are increasingly pilling up and waiting for the trigger like a time bomb.

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Beside the prolonged conflict due to the lack of communication, perfectionism toward the child also becomes the characteristic of dysfunctional family in object of research. “... She absorbed her parents’ dreams, quieting the reluctance that bubbled up within ... Lydia knew what they wanted so desperately, even when they didn’t ask. Every time, it seemed such a small thing to trade for their happiness. (Ng, 2014:94)

Quotation above emphasizes how hard Lydia takes parents’ expectation toward her. She embraced everything to pursue parents’ dream. She studied algebra, enrolled biology, wore nice dresses, joined to the freshman dance, in spite of she did not want all of these. The perfectionism in a family seems normal or even positive because the actual problem usualy hard to be find. Nevertheless, in perfectionism family, the children will find difficulties in emotional support. The parents only look after achievement and result of children. This characteristic of dysfunctional family contains with the limitation of opinions and feelings. As a result, it causes the children is having trouble in expressing the opinions and feelings. Considering all of evidences above, it can be conclude that the types of dysfunctional family in Lee’s family is chronic conflict family. As mentioned before in literary of view, the authoritarian parent is a source of chronic conflict family type. Moreover, chronic conflict family has extended problem or conflict that source from unsolved problem in the past. 2. Psychological State of Lydia as The Member of Dysfunctional Family Isolated and Empty Feeling

Lydia, as the child of dysfunctional family, is affected the most of its influence. It is caused because by she becomes the object of channeling problems and the hopes of her parents that are expected to be their solution. As a result, the most effect that have happened to her is she occurs isolated and empty feeling. “But Nath’s seen Lydia at school, how in the cafeteria she sits silent while the others chatter; how, when they’ve finished copying her homework, she quietly slides her notebook back into her bookbag.

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After school, she walks to the bus alone and settles into the seat beside him in silence. (Ng, 2014:9)

The quotation above tells about how Lydia actually had no friends. She was just taken advantages off by her friend at school. Since she was a smart student, her friends approached her only for the purpose copying her homework. The explanation above indicates that Lydia has trouble in expressing her emotion and feeling. Caused by her habits at home where authoritarian parent makes she never get opportunities to express her feeling and emotion, the habits continue in her other life, such as her school life. She is being isolated with people around her. Since the superego plays as major apparatus in her unconscious mind, her superego tells that other people have more right to do and control Lydia’s life. The ego of Lydia plays as a judge by think that it is not right. By then, the ego of her gives rise the sense of anxiety. The fact that Lydia did those actions in quite is a form of anxiety. She knows that it is not right but she keep doing it because the superego of her is more dominant that the other apparatus in her unconscious mind. “Once, he had stayed on the phone line after Lydia picked up and heard not , but his ’s voice duly rattling off assignments—read Act I of Othello, do the odd numbered problems in Section 5—... phone pressed to her ear, he’d picked up the extension in the kitchen and heard only the low drone of the dial tone. Lydia has never really had friends, but their parents have never known. If their father says, “Lydia, how’s Pam doing?” Lydia says, “Oh, she’s great, she just made the pep squad,” and Nath doesn’t contradict her. He’s amazed at the stillness in her face, the way she can lie without even a raised eyebrow to give her away.” (Ng, 2014:9)

The quotation happened when Nath, was silently eavesdropping Lydia’s conversation with her friend. Thought to be talking or gossiping with her friend, like a teenager normally did, Lydia was apparently giving her answer of her assignment., so that her friend could copy it. Lydia and Pam was no longer friend, but no one knew about it, except Nath. Only Nath who knew how lonely and friendless Lydia was. The description above indicates that the superego of Lydia puts the parent’s expectation as priority above all. She does not want to disappoint her

80 | METAPHOR : V O L . 3 , N O . 1 – SEPTEMBER 2020 parents. Her parents expect that Lydia is popular and has a lot of friends. When the reality hits different with parent’s expectation, the ego of Lydia chooses to pretend as a solution. Lydia pretends that she has a lot of friends. Doing calls at home so that her parents think she is in good relation with her friend when it is actually not, pretending to know about her friend’s life when the parent asks, are the examples of Lydia’s ego on how to face with the problem when the reality is contradiction to what is expected by the superego. The fact that Lydia lies without even raises her eyebrows is an evidence that she is that expert in lying. This is caused by she does not be able to express her true feeling and emotion. This habit makes her is getting expert in pretending someone else. Continue to pretend to be someone else, this action evokes the isolated and empty feeling. Dependent due to Fear of Being Abandoned Lydia as the golden child in her family, tries to not make any waves that further will make any unstable in her family. She keeps the family stick together eventhough the family is fragile inside already. Moreover, the factor that makes the superego of Lydia becomes dominant in her unconscious mind is the fear of being left and fear of family collapse. It can be seen in the quotation below, “Jack was right: she had been afraid so long, she had forgotten what it was like not to be—afraid that, one day, her mother would disappear again, that her father would crumble, that their whole family would collapse once more. ... So every time her mother said Do you want—? She had said yes. She knew what her parents had longed for, without them saying a word, and she had wanted them happy. She had kept her promise. And her mother had stayed. Read this book. Yes. Want this. Love this. Yes. ... Ever since that summer, she had been so afraid—of losing her mother, of losing her father. And, after a while, the biggest fear of all: of losing Nath, the only one who understood the strange and brittle balance in their family.” (Ng, 2014:161-162)

The quotation occured when Lydia rode the boat on the lake. Before she decided to drown herself to the water, she remembered what Jack had said to her, how afraid she had been for all this time. She was afraid of the leaving of her mother

81 | METAPHOR : V O L . 3 , N O . 1 – SEPTEMBER 2020 again, the deviating of her father again, and the losing of the ones she loved, and the collapse of her family. The leaving of Marlyn makes Lydia’s superego punishes and judges extremely by rising the thought that the leaving of Marlyn is caused by her. To reduce the excessive judge from the superego, the ego compromises the superego by revealing the guilty feeling. By then, this guilty feeling transforms into the fear feeling of being abandoned or fear of family collapse. The influence of external world is transformed into the fear form in Lydia’s unconscious mind. If her family is collapse, then she will be abandoned. Super Responsibility (The Enabler Type)

Another psychological state of Lydia as a result of the impact of dysfunctional family is super responsibility. The excessive super responsibility makes Lydia becomes the enabler type of child. “...She absorbed her parents’ dreams, quieting the reluctance that bubbled up within ... Lydia knew what they wanted so desperately, even when they didn’t ask. Every time, it seemed such a small thing to trade for their happiness.So she studied algebra in the summertime. She put on a dress and went to the freshman dance. She enrolled in biology at the college, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, all summer long. Yes. Yes. Yes. (Ng, 2014:94)

The narration above illustrates how how hard the struggle of Lydia was. She took all the bias of her parents’s dream. From Marlyn (Lydia’s mother), Lydia should study hard to become a doctor, the profession that Marlyn was dreaming about but she failed because of her household. From James, (Lydia’s father), she had to be fit in the society, since he failed when he was young due to his race. Eventhough all above seem positive influences that can be done by the parents, since the psychological that to be analyzed, those things have potency to be a pressure to a child, in this case to Lydia. The superego makes her keep stick with parent’s expectation and ignore the demand of satisfaction from her id. “All her life she had heard her mother’s heart drumming one beat: doctor, doctor, doctor. She wanted this so much, Lydia knew, that she no longer needed to say it. It was always there. Lydia could not imagine another future, another life. It was like trying to imagine a world where the sun went around the moon, or where there was no such thing as air.” (Ng, 2014:9-96)

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Lydia’s future that has been created by Marlyn made Lydia had no another choice except to accept it. She had no power to change it because of how strong her mother’s influence was. The love to her mother and fear of being left by her mother made Lydia to be a daughter that her parents wanted. She kept to be a good girl who sticked with the moral . The superego of Lydia plays a big role in her personality. Before commit a suicide, Lydia’s superego becomes the dominant apparatus in her unconscious mind. Her superego drives Lydia to obey all the parent’s demand, face the conflict, and hold on the pressure that has been given to her. Feel Guilty when They Looking for Satisfaction for Themselves Lydia is accustomed to please others and thinks that the happiness or satisfaction of others become her responsibility to make it happens. So, when it comes to herself to seek the satisfaction, the guilty comes up. “Then, in the half-unzipped front pocket, she spots something: a flash of red and white. Hidden beneath Lydia’s pencil case and a bundle of index cards, a slit gapes in the lining of the bag. ... Marilyn works her hand inside and pulls out an open package of Marlboros. And, beneath that, she finds something else: an open box of condoms ... Her Lydia did not smoke. As for the condoms—” (Ng, 2014:70)

The quotation above told when Marlyn was looking for the clues of the missing of Lydia. She searched any signs in Lydia’s room. Unexpectedly, Marlyn found a box of ciggaretes. The most surpsrising thing was there was a condom beneath the ciggaretes box. The desire of satisfaction, considering it happens in the age of Lydia, breaks in her unconscious mind eventhough it be representated in hidden way. Her id demands the sexual instinct that source from energy called libido. The superego of Lydia that believes having sex is not appropriate the moral value totally against the demand of her id. The superego thinks that by commits the sex, it will dissapointed her parents and undermines the expectation she has been building up. To make a solution, the ego makes the id to perceives the limitation and to compromise the superego to carry out the desires of id. As the result, the ego makes the guilty feeling. The guilty feeling

83 | METAPHOR : V O L . 3 , N O . 1 – SEPTEMBER 2020 is proofed by Lydia hides the ciggarettes and the condoms so her parents will not see it. She does the rebellious actions to satisfaction for the demand of her id in the midst of all demands and expectations that her parents have given to her. The Ego Defense Mechanism of Lydia When the conflicts happen, Lydia’s ego makes an awareness that she do not be able to keep being the daughter that her mother wants. Her unability undermines the moral strength (the superego) she has been guarding all this time. It makes the anxiety in her unconscious mind. The excessive anxiety and fear trigger the ego to defense the individual (Lydia). The ego that roles as the controller between id and superego, tries to control the demand of id yet tries to persuade the strictness of superego at the same time. When the collective of intrigue the anxiety and the anxiety is getting excessive, the ego makes a defense to protect the individual. The ego defense mechanism of Lydia appears in the from of regression. In regression, there a deterioration of development that goes back to previous or earlier stage. It caused due to the fear of conflicts or dangers that can not be dealt any longer. As the solution, the individual goes back to the stage or condition where he/she feels safe. “... as she made this last promise, Lydia understood what to do. How to start everything over again, from the beginning, so she would never again be afraid to be alone. What she must do to seal her promises, to make them real. Gently she lowered herself into the rowboat and loosed the rope. ... (Ng, 2014:163-164)

This quotation happened right before Lydia drown herself into the lake. She hoped that she could replay her life. She would be honest to her parents that she could not bear it anymore and to Nath that she needed him. Most important, she would be honest to herself. The passage above indicates that when the excessive-burdened id of Lydia finally against her superego, Lydia’s unconscious mind is driven by death instinct. The purpose of death instinct is to destroy. It contains with destructive action.

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The death instinct reflects its desire in the form of self-harm or suicide. In Lydia’s case, her death instinct appears by the suicidal. When someone kills themselves, it is not always the form of regression. The thing that to be highlighted is the motive or the reason why he or she commits the suicide. In Lydia case, she commits a suicide for the purpose of the desire to start over again her life. By drowning herself into the lake, she thought that she will be in a start point in her life, or in another term, earlier life. She wants to go back to the state where she feels safe because she can not cope with the problems. It is easier for her to begin again.

Conclusion Considering to the data analysis studied in chapter IV, it can be concluded that in Celeste Ng’s “Everything I Never Told You” contains with what problem statements questioned. The reflection of dysfunctional family in Lee’s family covers the cause, the characteristics, and the type of dysfunctional family. The cause that makes Lee’s family is considered as the dysfunctional family is the indication of authoritarian family. The characteristics of dysfunctional family portrayed in Lee’s family are prolonged conflict and problem and perfect expectation toward the children. These characteristics classify Lee’s family as the chronic conflict family as the type of dysfunctional family. Chronic conflict family is sourced from authoritarian parent and has extended conflict from unsolved problems in the past. The second problem statement is about the psychological state of Lydia as the member of dysfunctional family. . First point, Lydia’s psychological state experiences isolated and empty feeling, dependent due to fear of being abandoned, being super responsibility by adopt the enaler type, and feels guilty when looking for satisfaction for herself. To cope with the friction between id and superego, the ego makes a defense mechanism in the form of regression, where she desires to go back in the place where she feels save. She commits suicide in order to start again her life.

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